Cardinals top Pirates on Wong’s walk- off HR
Kolten Wong led off the ninth inning with a home run to give the Cardinals a 3- 2 victory Saturday against the visiting Pirates.
After Austin Meadows had tied the score with a homer against Cardinals closer Bud Norris ( 2- 1) in the top of the inning, Wong homered on a slider from Richard Rodriguez ( 1- 2). It was his second game- ending homer of the season and the fourth of his career.
‘‘ You really don’t want guys going up there thinking home run because that normally ends up a pop- up on the infield,’’ Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. ‘‘ But whatever Kolten’s doing, I’m not going to get in the way. If he’s thinking home run, keep thinking it in those situations.’’
The Cardinals’ Marcell Ozuna hit the 100th homer of his career in the second.
Scherzer sparks Nats’ winning rally
Ace right- hander Max Scherzer singled as a pinch hitter in the 14th inning and scored the tiebreaking run on a triple by Wilmer Difo to spark the Nationals to a 5- 3 victory against the host Braves.
In his third pinch- hit appearance in the majors, Scherzer — a three- time Cy Young Award winner — singled up the middle against Miguel Socolovich ( 0- 1) and sped home on Difo’s hit to right- center. Spencer Kieboom added an RBI single to give Nationals an insurance run.
Yanks streaking; Orioles skidding
Miguel Andujar drove in three runs with a two- run homer and a double, Giancarlo Stanton also hit a two- run homer and the visiting Yankees beat the Orioles 8- 5 for their fourth consecutive victory. The Orioles lost their seventh game in a row.
Masahiro Tanaka ( 7- 2) yielded four runs and eight hits in 5„ innings but earned the victory anyway. He has won his last five decisions and is 5- 0 in seven road starts this season.
This and that
The Red Sox put second baseman Dustin Pedroia on the 10- day disabled list with inflammation in his surgically repaired left knee after he played in only three games since returning. Pedroia made his season debut May 26 after having knee surgery in October and went 1- for- 11 with two walks.
The Giants put first baseman Brandon Belt on the 10- day disabled list after he had an appendectomy in San Francisco. He got one at- bat in the Giants’ game Friday against the Phillies before being removed in the third inning and being taken to a hospital for possible appendicitis.